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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. dip — to sink
  3. ball — a great time
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. ball — a dance
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mark — a grade
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bank — of a river
  11. hand — help
  12. bank — for money
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. lie — to recline
  20. hand — in cards
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bank — for money
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. lean — thin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com